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Drivers and day-trippers looking for a great fall getaway can mark Sat., Oct. 1 on their calendar, when the Dearborn County Convention, Visitor & Tourism Bureau will hold its 3rd-annual Tour for the Cure® Scenic Road Rally.

A special driving tour through Southeast Indiana that raises money for breast cancer research, the event features a four-hour, 60-mile course through the region’s scenic countryside, with a number of pit stops along the way. In addition to the drive, which includes a scavenger hunt element, participants will enjoy a tour of Veraestau historic estate in Aurora, a Greek Revival structure offering stunning views of the Ohio River valley, a unique history and extensive grounds. The event will also include a stop at McCabe’s Greenhouse and Floral in Lawrenceburg to pick up pink ribbons.

Open to all street legal vehicles, the rally will benefit the bureau’s Tour for the Cure® initiative, a travel incentive program that raises money for breast cancer research through a partnership with the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast CancerSM, a nonprofit foundation affiliated with Vera Bradley Designs, Inc. that supports various research-based initiatives in the fight for a breast cancer cure. One hundred percent of Tour for the Cure® donations go to support the Vera Bradley Foundation.

The 2011 Scenic Road Rally will take place at the height of the fall color season and will be held rain or shine. The rally will also feature a selection of great Vera Bradley prizes awarded for 1st Place Team, 2nd Place Team, 3rd Place Team, Best Dressed Car, Best Dressed Team and Largest Tour for the Cure® Team Donation. Road rally participants are encouraged to show their support for the cause by dressing up and decorating their cars, as well as by signing a special Memory Board provided by The Framery of Lawrenceburg.

Visitors eager for a glimpse into our nation’s wartime history will get their chance next month when the LST 325, a World War II-era Navy ship, visits Aurora. A memorial ship that honors former LST military vessels, the LST will visit Aurora Sept. 23-25 and be open for public tours throughout its stay.

The LST 325 has become a major attraction in its homeport of Evansville, Ind.

Originally launched in 1943, the LST (or Landing Ship Tank) was a part of Force "B", the back-up force for troops going ashore at Omaha Beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944. It later made many trips between England and France ferrying troops, equipment, ammunition and supplies during 1944 and 1945. In later years, the ship continued to serve throughout the Cold War and was active in both the Korean and Vietnam wars, before retiring to its homeport of Evansville, Indiana.

The LST during the D-Day invasion of Normandy

A large vessel once capable of carrying more than 20 Sherman tanks, the LST-325 is 50 feet wide, over a football field long, and weighs approximately 3,800 tons. While in Aurora, it will be docked at the Aurora Ferry Landing and will be open for tours daily beginning at 9am, with the last tour of the day scheduled for 4pm.

The public is also invited to attend a special veterans’ memorial dedication ceremony at the LST docking site on Sun., Sept. 25. In addition to a military flyover, the event will include an afternoon of guest speakers, patriotic music (including a performance by the Armed Forces Medley Band), gun shooting from the ship and more.

Cheering crowds of Wolrd War II veterans and spectators greet the LST

For more information on the LST’s upcoming visit, including tour times and admission costs, plus additional details on the Sept. 25 memorial dedication, call us at 800-322-8198 or click here.

The 13th-Annual “A Roar of Thunder” Aurora Regatta, Southeast Indiana’s popular annual powerboat race, will roar into town later this month for two days of nonstop racing along the Ohio River. Planned for Aug. 20-21, the event features powerboat racing in two separate speed classes as part of the Powerboat Superleague points circuit.

The boats headed into a straightaway

Scheduled to take place at Lesko Park, a waterfront park located in the small town of Aurora, Indiana, the free event typically attracts upwards of 10,000 spectators over the weekend. The boats can reach up to 120 miles per hour as they slice through the water along the one-mile course.

The Regatta features racing in two separate speed classes

In addition to two full days of racing (including the Championship Finals on Sunday), the Regatta also features free parking, food and refreshment booths, kids’ activities and more. The event is organized by Aurora Riverfront Beautification, Inc. and offers free admission thanks in part to the generosity of many local sponsors.

To learn more – or for a complete schedule of the weekend’s events – call the Regatta hotline at 877-571-6004 or click here.